Cameron Smith rallies to gain British Open for his very first major

The mullet. The mallet.

The rocker-looking Cameron Smith, draining putt after putt, designed a extraordinary run Sunday on the back 9 of the Previous Class — five birdies in a row — to overtake fan beloved Rory McIlroy and maintain off American Cameron Younger to get the 150th British Open.

It was the to start with important championship for Smith, who grew to become the initial Australian to get the Claret Jug considering that Greg Norman in 1986.

“What a week. I’m going to drop aside below I know,” an psychological Smith claimed all through the trophy presentation. Increasing the Claret Jug with his voice cracking, he thanked his crew for its challenging get the job done and claimed, “This just one undoubtedly makes it truly worth it.”

Norman, the CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf, was asked by the Royal & Historical Golf Club of St Andrews not to go to this year’s match even although he’s a two-time winner. His part in the upstart league is that controversial.

The Open up leaderboard featured twin overhead Cams: Smith shot a bogey-totally free 64, Younger a 65.

Smith birdied 18 to go to 20-less than-par 268, indicating McIlroy would have to eagle it to force a playoff. His eagle chip bounced past the gap.

In the meantime, Younger, who was participating in with Smith, eagled the 18th gap to shift into next.

Before the match, the affable Smith said he would lower his signature mullet if he ended up to get, but instantly appeared to again off that prospect.

“I’ve generally explained that if I received a match or did one thing very good, I would reduce it off,” he mentioned. “And I have accomplished that a few situations this yr, and it is continue to on there.

“So I’d like to say I would slice it off, but it’s in all probability not likely to come about. I come to feel like it is practically a part of me now. Like you explained, people acknowledge the hair and can make a number of persons chortle.”

McIlroy and Viktor Hovland, who both equally shot 66 on Saturday, began the Sunday spherical with a four-shot guide over Cameron Smith and Youthful.

Hovland experienced seven pars and a bogey on the front nine, and McIlroy begun to pull away, creating a two-shot cushion.

Smith trailed by a few strokes at the flip, but then went birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie as he turned for dwelling.

McIlroy experienced many near-pass up putts on the back 9 but could not really get a birdie to fend off Smith. The Australian overtook him on the 14th hole.

McIlroy is nonetheless looking for that elusive fifth important, obtaining fallen just limited on numerous events just after winning four early in his vocation. He has not received a single in the 29 majors considering that his PGA Championship victory in 2014. He also won the British Open that yr, a PGA Championship in 2012 and the U.S. Open up in 2011.